Car-coupling



No Model.)

P. B. HAND.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 449,253 Patented Mar.31,1891.

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W/ TNESSLIS: INVENTOR %w%% arfef .3. B Y w ATTORNEY.

Ens 00., Mo'ru-u'rnu, WASHINGTON a c e PATENT OFFICE-t PORTER 1;; HAND,or n uo sBoRoUeI-i, MIssIssIPPn CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION fol-master; of Letters Patent No. 449,253, dated March31,1391.

' x Application filed March 22,1890. Serial Ilo. 344,925. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PORTER BRISTOL HAND, a citizen of the United States,residing at Handsborough, in the county of Harrison and State ofMississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in anAutomatic Oar- Coupler; and I do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention relates to improvements in car-couplers in which a boltplaced within the end of a draw-bar is made to operate automatically inconjunction with a link; and the objects of my invention are to enablecars to be coupled automatically, and thus avoid danger to brakemen. Iattain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in Which Figure l is a side view. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional side view. Fig. 3 is a side view of bolt. Fig. 4 is a top viewof draw-bar.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In constructing my invention the ordinary draw-bar can be used withslight modifications.

In the drawings, A refers to draw-bars with ends of same constructed inthe manner shown in Fig. 2.

I is a link which is held in position by means of bolt 0, said boltbeing held in position and swung loosely upon pivot D and cocupies theposition, when cars are coupled, as shown in Fig. 2, the lower end. ofthe bolt resting against the draw-bar.

E are pieces of timber placed at the end of freight-cars, and are knownas dead-wood or buffer-blocks.

F represents the side of a car.

The bolt 0 has a head a, constructed with an angle-top formed by thestraight portion b and the slanting portion a, which allows the bolt torest on the draw-head, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2. The bottom ofthe head a has straight bearing-surface b formed at right angles to thesaid bolt, and between the two bearing-surfaces a and b is formed thepivothole 0.

The mode of operation is as follows: By

1 :simply pressing the bolt down upon the link ;the latter is placed atany desired angle, as

shown by dotted lines, in front of draw-bar,

as shown in Fig. 2, and in this manner, as the :draw-bar from a carwhichis set at a higher or lower position comes in contact with the link, thebolt in the drawbaris forced by the pressure of the link in the positionas shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, and while bolt is forced upwardat an angle, as shown, the link enters the draw-bar and goes to thepoint indicated by circular dotted lines in Fig. 2,

and bolt having pressure released descends Within the opening in linkand a fastening or coupling is made in an automatic manner. The bolt 0is so constructed that it cannot be thrown to a greater angle than shownby dotted lines in Fig. 2, forming the arc of acircle, and where desiredthe bolt may be placed in this position and a coupling effected. Touncouple the cars the bolt is simply removed from the link and placed onan incline and the link is released.

A striking advantage of my device is its simplicity and economicalconstruction, enabling the railway companies to utilize the couplers nowin use upon freight-cars.

From the construction illustrated it will be seen that by having theforward branch of the belt or coupling-pin beveled, as shown at a, saidbolt or pin may be set in the position shown in dotted lines, so thatwhen the cars are brought together the jar of the same will throw thebolt into the slot of the draw-head and cause the same to effect anautomatic coupling.

I am aware of the Patent No. 263,800, in which a latch is provided withtwo branches approximately at right angles to each other and pivoted ina draw-head. I am also aware of Patent No. 291,149, in which a link ispivoted in the draw-head, and a pin having a shoulder or offset ispivoted in a slot in the head, so that it may turn into the pivotedlink, the offset of the pin being designed to be attached to a chain;and I am also aware of the patent granted to one Keithley, No. 247,198,in which a pin is pivoted to the upperside of the draw-head and providedwith a shoulder, whereby it may rest upon the head when drawn out of theslot in the position ready for use, and I therefore do not claim suchdevices broadly.

The rear face of the vertical portion of the bolt is formed near itslower end with a rounded ledge e, which is designed to receive the linkand prevent it from falling down, so as to Wedge the vertical portionand prevent the bolt from turning on its pivot. The lower end of thevertical portion of the bolt is rounded from the said ledge to the frontface, as seen at f, to provide for easy movement and little friction. Dworks, is elongated horizontally, as seen in Fig. 3, to allow of slightplay to prevent binding of the parts.

I am aware that it has been proposed to pivot the bolt on a pivotworking in an elongated slot, and I am also aware that it is not bolt toreceive the link, and therefore do not seek to cover such constructions,but attach rear face being curved from the bottom of the The opening 0,in which the pivot Having described my invention, what I claim, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

As an improved article of manufacture, the coupling-bolt 0, formed withvertical shank with straight front face, a head having angular roundedfront end with elongated slot near its lower forward end, a squareshoulder b at the junction of the head and shank at the front, and atthe rear face a curve from the top rear end of the head to near itslower end, forming a curved ledge e, which forms a continuation of saidcurve, and from the said ledge curved to the lower end of the front faceon the arc of a circle, substantially as shown PORTER B. HAND.

Witnesses:

PERCY D. PARKS, J. B. ROSSER, Jr.

